


it's not just something you take, it's given

by orphan_account



Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-29
Updated: 2013-08-29
Packaged: 2017-12-25 01:17:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 772
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/946905
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ian comes home from the army, four years later, wanting nothing to do with Mickey.  Mickey goes to Mandy for some relationship advice.</p>
            </blockquote>





	it's not just something you take, it's given

Mickey doesn't see Ian for four years- four years alone, four years thinking that he was dead. Because no one joins the army without being shot in the head, right? That’s what Mickey thought. But of course he was wrong.

xxx

Ian returns on a Sunday, wearing camo pants and holding his suitcase. No one knew he was coming back, not one of the Gallaghers, and definitely not Mickey.

xxx

Mickey had basically stalked the Gallagher’s house all year, because he knew this was the year Ian would be home. If he was coming home. Mickey could still hear Ian’s solemn voice, four years minimum, ringing in his ears.

xxx

So when walking by that Sunday, he saw Ian standing on the front porch with Debbie and Lip and Fiona, celebrating his homecoming, everyone saying how much they missed him and how stupid he is and what if he had died. Mickey wanted to march over, get Ian alone, pick up where they left off, but he couldn't, not yet.

xxx

So the next time Mickey saw Ian alone, and entire fucking week later, he was walking under the el. Mickey walked up to him, trying hard not to run, not be a giddy little girl, and barely succeeding.

"Gallagher," he said as he approached, "Been a while, huh?"

Ian tried to contain himself, look cool, but he was pretty stoked to see Mickey. ”Yeah, a while.”

Four fucking years to be exact, Mickey thought.

They skipped the small talk, unable to act like this was some casual bump-in. This was them. Ian and Mickey. There was history. And in their timeline, four years where unaccounted for. They needed to make up for the time lost.

As for the prospect of picking up where they left off, it was a no from Ian. No explanation. Not really. But Mickey knew. He knew he treated Ian like shit, and he knew that Ian deserved so much better. But he couldn't let it go. He needed Ian like he needed the air in his lungs, he felt the heaving pain of suffocating when Ian was gone. 

xxx

Mickey needed help, some advice, a woman’s touch. He needed to know what to do.

So he went to Mandy.

She was sitting on her bed, listening to music, casual and not busy.

Mickey took a deep, shaky, breath. It’s not everyday you have to beg your sister for advice. ”I need some help.”

Mandy looked up, taking out her ear buds. ”What?”

"I need your help."

"Help with what?"

"I need to know how to…" He trailed off, didn't know how to phrase it. "I need advice about Ian."

Mandy looked confused, but didn't exactly doubt he and Ian had had a fallen out. ”What kind of advice?”

"He doesn't want to, you know, get back together."

"Back together? Like you were a couple?"

"Are you going to fucking help me or not?" Mickey was sick of this back and forth bullshit that he and Mandy had. It’s like they couldn’t even have a conversation. 

"Just tell him how you feel," she said, lying back on her bed. Like it was that simple. Like Mickey even knew how he felt.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, talk to him. Say something. Anything. Stop being such a coward." 

He let this sink in. She was right, of course. She always was. But he didn't know what to say or how to say it. ”What should I say?”

"Tell him that you missed him, that you’re sorry, that you love him. Tell him any of those things. Because they’re all true." She put her ear buds back in and turned away from Mickey. He took this as his cue to leave.

xxx

Tell him you love him. It kept swirling around in his head. Was it true? Yes. Probably. He wasn't sure. He was. Could he ever actually tell him? No. Never. Maybe. 

xxx

So Mickey went to the Gallagher house, and knocked on the door. Ian opened it, and stepped onto the front porch.

"I came to tell you something," Mickey said.

Ian just stood there, waiting. 

"I wanted to tell you, even though you already know. I have to say it. You deserve that."

"What?" Ian sighed, expecting the answer but not letting himself believe it.

Mickey sighed. Then he held his breath. Four missing years, he thought. ”I love you?” He said it like a question, like he was unsure, but he had never been more sure of anything in his life. He loved Ian, and now after seven years, he could finally say it.


End file.
